There is no plausible theory under which the record of the Pentagon Papers can be interpreted as relating to the national defense.
Noam ChomskyRead
The most effective way to restrict democracy is to transfer decision-making from the public arena to unaccountable institutions: kings and princes, priestly castes, military juntas, party dictatorships, or modern corporations.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Democracy is weakened when decisions are made by unaccountable entities rather than the public.
Noam Chomsky's quote emphasizes that the true essence of democracy lies in public participation and accountability. When decision-making power is shifted away from the populace to unaccountable institutions, such as dictatorships, corporations, or elites, it undermines democratic governance and citizen engagement, ultimately restricting freedom and choice.
Themes
DemocracyAccountabilityPowerGovernmentPublic Participation
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about the importance of civic engagement, one might quote Chomsky to highlight the dangers of unaccountable power.
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There is still much debate about whether torture has been effective in eliciting information - the assumption being, apparently, that if it is effective, then it may be justified.
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